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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23273581">Third Wheel</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/onetruethree/pseuds/onetruethree'>onetruethree</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>2020 Ficlets [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - No Powers, Multi, OT3, Pre-OT3, Sharing a Bed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:29:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>551</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23273581</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/onetruethree/pseuds/onetruethree</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette wakes up cold and decides to join Alya and Nino in bed where it's warm.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alya Césaire/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Nino Lahiffe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>2020 Ficlets [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1673587</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Third Wheel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>based on <a href="https://polyshipprompts.tumblr.com/post/190915572777/imagine-person-a-of-your-polyship-waking-up-cold">this prompt</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Marinette woke up in a cold room that recently hadn’t felt like her own. As the shadows started to focus and she could make sense the shapes around the room, she still didn’t feel any less cold and alone. She had been staying with Alya for almost a year now, but ever since Nino moved in things felt different. Nino had been over almost as often, of course, but now Marinette felt almost like a third wheel, so waking up cold felt especially painful for her.</p>
<p>Almost as if on autopilot, Marinette wandered into Nino and Alya’s room, which was significantly warmer because of the two bodies, and she could guess that under the covers would be even warmer. Being as quiet as she could in the room that was silent other than the breathing and slight snoring from both of them, she crawled into their bed on the side closest to the door, which happened to be the side Alya was fast asleep in.</p>
<p>Despite her best efforts to not wake either of them up, she felt Alya shift and groan, telltale signs that she had woken up. Marinette winced and froze in place. Unfortunately, this didn’t stop Alya from waking up completely and say in a voice too loud for that late in the night, “Girl, your legs are freezing.”</p>
<p>Marinette almost fell off the bed trying to shift away from Alya, afraid she would be annoyed that she was stealing all the heat. She also shushed Alya, knowing that her voice was plenty loud enough to wake Nino up. Sure enough, they both felt him turn around to face both of them.</p>
<p>“Hey Marinette.” He smiled sleepily. “Are you alright? Did you have a nightmare?”</p>
<p>She would’ve thrown a pillow at him if she had the energy. “Just cold. My room has no insulation, apparently.”</p>
<p>Nino hummed in response, now lying on his back and closing his eyes, ready to go back to sleep. “Well, if you’d like, you can sleep in the middle, it’s probably much warmer over here.”</p>
<p>Marinette’s face warmed up, and not just from the warmth of Alya– who was now snoring quietly. “Are you sure? I mean I should probably go back to my own bed, right?”</p>
<p>Nino held out his hand. It took Marinette a second to realize he wanted her to put her own hand in his, and when she did he shook his head. “If you want to go back to a cold room, be my guest, but I’m fine if you want to stay.” He gripped her hand tight. “Even your hands are still cold.” He seemed genuinely concerned for her, and Marinette suddenly felt loved. She maneuvered her way over Alya as to not wake her up and snuggled up next to Nino. She felt like she wasn’t a third wheel anymore. “Thank you, Nino.”</p>
<p>He put his arm around her and held her close. He was warm, and she was truly grateful. Then, Alya, still asleep, turned towards Marinette and snuggled up close to her back. This made Marinette blush and hide her face and Nino laughed as quietly as he could. Marinette knew she was surrounded by two people who loved her, and a part of her hoped they would let her do this every day.</p>
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